Professor David Siegel appointed to SJC standing committee

(Boston 12/02/11) New England Law | Boston: Massachusetts government is “a government of laws, and not of men,” as famously articulated by John Adams, the drafter of the Commonwealth’s constitution. Still, human input is essential to the judicial system, and that includes regular review of the rules of criminal procedure to ensure their appropriateness and utility.

“The committee deals with systemic issues concerning the operation of the criminal justice system,” says Professor Siegel. “Topics range from narrow and technical items to much broader issues in the context of rules of criminal procedure. For example, recent committee activities concern rules regarding reports of mental evaluations in criminal cases and the requirement for a defendant to personally appear at arraignment.” (Mental illness issues in the criminal justice system and criminal defense are among Professor Siegel’s areas of expertise.)

Siegel expects that his new assignment–a three-year term with the possibility of renewal–will enable him to provide further context for students regarding real-world problems in the operation of the criminal justice system.